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Depending on how you use your phone, you will most likely want to change the ringtone volume of your Pixel 2 while not affecting the media playback audio level. The same goes for alarm volume. Thankfully, unlike with phones from other OEMs, Google makes it extremely easy for Pixel 2 owners to change all three different volume modes. Here’s how…UAG Cases How to change media, alarm, and ring volume on Google Pixel 2 and 2 XLFamiliarize yourself with your phoneChange your phone’s different volumesSit back and enjoy1. Familiarize yourself with your phoneBefore we get started, you’re going to need to know how to use the Google Pixel 2’s volume rocker. Located on the right side of the handset under the power button, you will find a long button. When you press on the top or bottom, it should raise or lower your device’s volume.The other thing you need to know is how to find your Pixel 2’s settings menu. The quickest way to launch the menu is by first pulling down on the notification bar and t…

One of the central tenants of Android One is fast updates and the Moto X4 that launched earlier this year for Project Fi was included in the update promise. Meeting that end of the year guarantee, 8.0 Oreo is now beginning to rollout for the device.Nintendo Switch Google announced Android One for the United States in late September, with the Moto X4 going on sale a month later in October. The device shipped with 7.1 Nougat and a “pure Android experience” that receives monthly security patches.At the launch of the latest variant of the One initiative, Google guaranteed that the device would receive Oreo before year’s end and Android P in 2018.With a little over a week before the new year, Project Fi users are beginning to receive the update (Build number: OPW27.1) today. At over 1 GB the update also contains the December security patch in addition to all of the new features introduced with 8.0 Oreo, including Picture-in-picture, Notification dots, Autofill, and the latest emoji.So far, …

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.Everyone can use an Echo Dot: Just $50! 9to5Toys Lunch Break delivers the best deals every day of the week at 12:30PM EST. This includes price drops on all sorts of Apple products from iPad to MacBook and everything in between, as well as HomeKit gear, accessories of all kinds and so much more.You’ll also find our daily coverage of the coolest new gear and gadgets from across the internet along with our New Toy of the Day, product reviews, giveaways and app sales. Head below for today’s top deals and most interesting new products in the world of tech and beyond…TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:Get an edge-to-edge screen & 4K 360 camera w/ Essential: $500 ($600+ value)Save up to $10 on Philips Hue Smart White Lightbulbs at Amazon: 2 for $24, 4 for $40The Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 Quadcopter is down to an all…

With Christmas quickly approaching, many are concluding last-minute shopping as stores — both physical and virtual — push various deals. Meanwhile, crunch time is also happening up in the North Pole.In an amusing, but informative blog post today, one of Santa’s elves describes how the North Pole takes advantage of the Google Cloud Platform for all their critical gift-giving needs.Nintendo Switch Penned by Santa’s Chief Information Elf, today’s post on the Google Cloud Platform (GCP) blog describes how the North Pole runs on the cloud “to meet the demands of bringing all those gifts to all those children around the world.”In the past century, the elf population has apparently not been able to keep up with the growth of the world’s population and increasing complexity of toys.You see, North Pole Operations have evolved quite a lot since my parents were young elves. The world population increased from around 1.6 billion in the early 20th century to 7.5 billion today. The elf population co…

As evidenced by our teardowns, there are always a number of features in the works for Google Allo. One for managing data that we spotted earlier this year is now finally rolling out this week.Nintendo Switch Back in July, with version 14 of Allo, we spotted Google working on giving users more oversight over how the app uses data. In “General settings,” there is now an option for “Data usage.”Not much has changed since we spotted it several months ago. This page breaks down usage of various app components, including Messages, Media, Google Drive, Wi-Fi, and mobile data. Up top there is a “Total data” count, while below users can “Reset” the stats, as is typical with these kind of features.The information is basic, but nevertheless useful for data conscious users. Given Google’s push of Allo around the world, it also fits right into the Android Go initiative where the company’s apps are tailored for low performance and data-tight environments.We’ve spotted Data usage on several Android d…

Motorola has been pretty good in the past when it comes to Android updates, and now, the company is working on bringing Oreo to its massive lineup. Today, that includes the Moto Z2 Force, at least on Verizon Wireless.The best gifts for Android users The Moto Z2 Force debuted earlier this year on Android Nougat, and now just a few months behind Google, Motorola is bringing that update to carrier models of its current flagship.Of course, the Verizon Wireless model is the only one picking up the update at the moment, but other carrier models likely aren’t too far behind.A changelog for Oreo on the Z2 Force shown off by a Reddit user doesn’t reveal anything outside of Google’s own changes, which shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. Verizon’s own changelog reveals that this update carries the November security patch, which is not totally up to date, but it’s a nice jump forward from what was previously on the device.If you’re using a Moto Z2 Force on Verizon, Oreo should be available for d…

Notifications on Android are pretty much the best you can find today, but they’re not completely perfect. Part of that is on the operating system, but a larger part lies on developers taking full advantage of what Android offers. In many cases, it’s third-party developers who come up with the best ideas, and recently one well-known developer has brought his skills to enhancing Google’s own Gmail app.The best gifts for Android users The Gmail app on Android is my go-to client for email because of its simplicity, but extra functionality is always welcome. This week, developer João Dias has made it possible to enhance the notifications on Gmail for Android using his app, AutoNotification. If you’re unfamiliar with Dias’ work, he’s the creator of the “Auto” series of apps that use Tasker to do a ton of crazy things.His latest project, detailed in a blog post earlier this week, brings new buttons to Gmail notifications on Android. Using the app, you can add up to 14 different buttons to a G…

Zooper Widget has long been one of the best ways to customize your homescreen beyond a third-party launcher. With tremendous support from third-party developers and from its community, the app has turned into a hub for customization. However, that all came to a screeching halt earlier this month when the app vanished from Google Play. Thankfully, Zooper is back.The best gifts for Android users Last Friday, December 15th, Zooper Widget mysteriously disappeared from Google Play with no word on why. The lack of communication shouldn’t come as much of a surprise considering the fact that Zooper’s developers haven’t updated the app in nearly three years, but it was still a big disappointment for fans.Now, just as mysteriously as it disappeared, both the free and paid versions of Zooper Widget have returned to the Play Store. There still aren’t any updates available, but users can once again download it.The reason for Zooper going away in the first place is still completely unclear, but it s…

Google’s struggles with the Pixel 2 XL seem to never stop. After problems with burn-in, dull colors, and much more, reports are coming out that some Pixel 2 XL owners are having problems with the speakers on their devices.The best gifts for Android users The speakers on the Pixel 2 XL are one of our favorite aspects of the phone. Despite having inherent flaws, these speakers are loud and clear and honestly some of the best you’ll find on any phone today. That’s why it’s sad to see users reporting a buzzing or rattling noise from the speakers on the phone, regardless of the volume content is played at.There are quite a lot of reports around the web on this issue spanning across Reddit, Google’s Product Forums, and social media (via Android Police). One of our own team members has also mentioned this problem on his unit. The extent of this problem seems to vary case-by-case, but in short, a distinct buzzing sound can be heard when content is playing.VIDEOThe exact cause is unclear, but t…

Ahead of the holiday weekend, Google Play is launching a “12 Days of Play” sale for apps, movies, TV shows, music, and books. Kicking off today and running into the new year, the Play Store is offering a number of discounts as people unwrap their new devices.Nintendo Switch Like on Black Friday, “premium games” are again discounted by up to 80% with notable deals including Minecraft Story Mode Season 2, Need for Speed Most Wanted, and FRAMED 2. The Play collection features around two dozen apps in total, with other discounts on in-app purchases for Pokémon GO and Clash of Clans.On the subscription front, Play Music continues to offer new subscribers four free months of ad-free music and YouTube. Meanwhile, TuneIn and Lifesum offer 40 percent off a year’s subscription.Google Play is also bringing back movie rentals and three episodes from any TV show for $0.99. Lastly, book purchases over $5 will see a $5 coupon, with an additional discount on top titles.Google notes that these deals wi…

Earlier this month, Qualcomm unveiled its next-generation processor for the upcoming wave of flagship smartphones, while also showcasing how Snapdragon can power all-day cellular-connected Windows laptops. A new report today suggests that Chromebooks could one day be powered by the Snapdragon 845 processor.Nintendo Switch Spotted in the Chromium repository (via XDA-Developers) are various references to “chipset-qc845,” with the generic board for that chip codenamed “cheza.” Meanwhile, the existing ARM-powered Samsung Chromebook Plus is also referenced in the comments.Since Chrome OS’s early days, there have only been a handful of devices that used an ARM chipset. The majority of Chromebooks have been Intel-powered, though there has been an uptick in the past year. Acer’s Chromebook R13 uses a MediaTek processor, while the aforementioned Chromebook Plus uses the hexa-core OP1 processor made by Rockchip, but to guidelines and standards set forth by Google.One reason why chips from the ma…

Alphabet announced today that Eric Schmidt is stepping down as the company’s executive chairman. Schmidt will transition to a new role as a technical advisor and will continue to serve on the company’s board.Samsung U28E590D 28-Inch 4K Monitor Alphabet made the announcement in a press release this afternoon, touting Schmidt’s vision and accomplishments throughout his 17-year tenure. Schmidt was named Google CEO in 2001 and moved to the executive chairman role in 2011, staying there through the transition to the new Alphabet structure.Larry Page says Schmidt has provided Alphabet with a “clear vision about the future of technology” during his time as CEO and executive chairman:“Since 2001, Eric has provided us with business and engineering expertise and a clear vision about the future of technology,” said Larry Page, CEO of Alphabet.“Continuing his 17 years of service to the company, he’ll now be helping us as a technical advisor on science and technology issues. I’m incredibly excited …

Today’s the day of Android TV it seems. After Amazon revealed its Prime Video application for non-Shield Android TV devices, Pandora has updated its Android TV app with a new UI and an updated feature set.The best gifts for Android users Pandora might not be everyone’s favorite streaming service, but it’s made some great strides lately. The recently introduced $10 premium tier allows users to play whatever they want, just like Spotify, Apple Music, and Google Play Music. That’s a big change from the service’s traditional radio-based playback, so some major updates were required to get apps on board with the new functionality.The latest update to Pandora’s Android TV app adds support for that new premium tier. Along with that, it also adds support for Google Assistant on Android TV, certainly a welcome addition as that continually expands to various devices.Further, the UI gets a refresh with Pandora’s signature look, but some clear changes to the overall interface, such as a new search…

Recent years have seen the rise of smartphone videos shot in vertical orientation due to live streaming and other mediums. Back in June, YouTube announced that its Android and iOS apps would better support these experiences. This dynamically adapting video player is now beginning to rollout for the latter platform.Nintendo Switch Beyond vertical video viewing that is already common on smartphones thanks to the likes of Snapchat, other common video formats include square-shaped and those in other aspect ratios that differ from the traditional horizontal video.In the past, the YouTube mobile apps stuck to the same horizontal video window no matter the content and added varying degrees of black bars to account for it. Now, YouTube has a dynamic player that adapts to the video’s natural format, as well as your viewing preferences.Square and vertical video will fill up the screen, with whatever space remaining below containing the video description, actions, and watch suggestions. Tapping f…

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.Everyone can use an Echo Dot: Just $50! 9to5Toys Lunch Break delivers the best deals every day of the week at 12:30PM EST. This includes price drops on all sorts of Apple products from iPad to MacBook and everything in between, as well as HomeKit gear, accessories of all kinds and so much more.You’ll also find our daily coverage of the coolest new gear and gadgets from across the internet along with our New Toy of the Day, product reviews, giveaways and app sales. Head below for today’s top deals and most interesting new products in the world of tech and beyond…TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:Stream your favorite TV to 3 devices at once w/ the HDHomeRun Prime Tuner: $105 (22% off) The highly-rated NETGEAR Nighthawk 802.11ac router is back at $80 (20% off)

As we spotted in our teardown earlier this month, Google Duo is working on Google account linking so that users can be reached via email address. The latest version of the video chatting service is now rolling out and preparing alerts to improve the general calling experience.Nintendo Switch About APK Teardowns: In this ‘APK teardown,’ we’ve decompiled the latest version of an application that was uploaded to the Play Store. When an app (or an APK, to be specific, in the case of Android apps) is decompiled, we’re able to see various lines of code within that hint at possible future features. Keep in mind that Google may or may not ever ship these features, and our interpretation of what they are may be imperfect. With that in mind, read on.Android PVersion 25 of Duo is the latest of the company’s apps to reference the next major version of Android. The Google app was the first to do so in late November with version 7.17.platformBuildVersionName=”P”Audio mode renamed to Voice modeSimila…

Andy Rubin’s Essential has been working hard on bringing Android Oreo to its first device, the PH-1, and that process kicked off with a public beta last month. Now, the company is pushing out the second beta for Android Oreo.The best gifts for Android users The first Oreo beta for the Essential Phone got Oreo started on the device, but it was certainly in a limited form. Some users may have noticed that, while the phone was indeed running Oreo, it lacked a lot of the features that make Oreo a meaningful update.That includes the likes of picture-in-picture, smart text selection, Google Play Protect, and much more. Along with adding those features back in this update, Essential has also included the December security patch and made performance improvements.Probably most importantly, this update fixes a lot of bugs Essential Phone’s faced in the first Oreo beta. That includes fixes for battery drain, Android Auto, carrier data, and much more.Essential has posted the full changelog to Redd…